Earl Grey has become a standard tea found in most homes and restaurants in the United States. Its mild flavor suits most palates, it pairs well with a variety of foods and makes a great choice for enjoying an afternoon cup of tea.
But with hundreds of choices out there, which tea do you choose? Whether you prefer tea bags or loose-leaf, caffeinated or decaffeinated, we have done the work for you and narrowed down your list to the top 10 Earl Grey teas to fit any palate and any budget.
- CLASSIC BLACK TEA: Fresh, fragrant and flavoured with distinctive notes of citrus and bergamot, this Earl Grey tea has all the taste of the original; Caffeinated, 100 Tea Bags
- A LEGACY OF TEA: Ten Generations of the Grey family have enjoyed this black tea created for the second Earl Grey by Richard Twining; The tradition continues today with a tea celebrated throughout the world.
- INDIVIDUALLY SEALED TEA BAGS STAY FRESH: Take your tea on the go in your purse, workout bag, backpack, school or work desk or car; Each tea bag is sealed for freshness so every cup of Twinings is the perfect cup of Twinings
- DRINK IN LIFE: With a signature blend of tradition and innovation, Twinings encourages tea lovers to “Drink In Life” by taking small steps towards feeling good and living well, one sip at a time
- SOURCED WITH CARE: Twinings aims to improve the lives of communities from which we source by improving access to water and sanitation, empowering women, and enhancing incomes and resilience.
- Allergen Information: Gluten Free
- BLEND COMPOSITION: Black tea, oolong tea, vanilla, black currant, caramel flavors, bergamot oil, honey flavor. Contains natural flavors.
- FLAVOR PROFILE: Complex blend reminiscent of Elizabethan preserves, featuring Earl Grey-like notes with vanilla, black currant, and honey undertones.
- BREWING INSTRUCTIONS: Steep for 4 to 5 minutes in water heated to 212°F for optimal flavor development.
- LIQUOR CHARACTERISTICS: Medium to dark brown brew with a wonderfully refreshing aroma featuring fruity notes and vanilla undertones.
- HARNEY & SONS IS A PROUD MEMBER OF 1% FOR THE PLANET Joining 1% for The Planet meant we could directly donate one percent of our total sales to the environmental organizations of our choice.The Harney family and staff are very proud to be part of this fine global organization working toward protection of the environment 1% at a time. As of the start of 2025 Harney & Sons (with your help) will have donated over 6 million dollars to 1% for the Planet.
Some of Our Favorites
- ORGANIC EARL GREY TEA – This classic citrus blossom-scented black tea from China is blended with the aromatic oil of Italian bergamot oranges in Europe, thus, creating a timeless tea.
- SAVOR & ENJOY – Brew one Earl Grey Tea Bag in 8 ounces of water at 200 degrees Fahrenheit for 4 minutes and enjoy this full-bodied enlivening floral tea with real bergamot citrus!
- GOOD FOR YOUR HEALTH – Rishi’s Sachet Tea Bags are USDA Organic, Non-GMO, made from Biodegradable BPA Free Sachet Tea Bags, Gluten Free, Dairy Free.
- SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS IS A CONSCIOUS BUSINESS – From the farmers we work with overseas to our manufacturing conditions at home, we are steadfast in following our code of ethics. A conscious business is one that pays attention to both the raw materials and the human effort, recognizing it is the sum of these resources that creates a sustainable and resilient business.
- OUR PROMISE TO YOU – Rishi is dedicated to sourcing only the highest quality products and your experience is important to us. If you feel the quality of our products is less than expected, please contact our customer service within 30 days of your order date.
Rishi organic Earl Grey is a beautifully balanced tea with fabulous bergamot flavor and delightfully fragrant lemony notes. It comes in both loose-leaf and tea bags but we prefer the loose-leaf variety. It has beautiful large tea leaves that bloom to a fabulous taste.
Rishi is a direct trade company whose quality control and social responsibility practices allow them to produce a high quality, sustainably grown tea that will satisfy your refined palate and make you feel good about your purchase.
This tea should be stored in a cool dry location using the included resealable foil bags to maintain its freshness. Be sure to store it away from strong scented spices and drink it within two months of opening to maintain its integrity and flavor.
- Earl Grey (Loose Leaf) combines our full-bodied organic black tea with natural oil of bergamot to create a brew that is both deeply layered and delightfully citrusy. As one of Davidson’s best-selling blends, Earl Grey (Loose Leaf) is prided for its citrus undertones and floral top notes.
- LEAF TO CUP: From our farms in India to your family, Davidson’s Organics is a vertically integrated provider of premium teas at affordable prices. We grow, import, blend, package, and sell – overseeing the entire journey of our tea from the leaf cuttings to the infusion in your cup.
- ALWAYS ORGANIC: Davidson’s Organics is a 3rd generation organic tea grower delivering on its promise of providing top-notch USDA certified organic teas. Our teas are grown non-GMO & free from harmful chemicals and pesticides. We are responsibly sourced and sustainably farmed. We believe in the holistic health of our farms, farmers, plants & animals.
- A CUP OF WELLNESS: Davidson’s offers a diverse selection of tea blends for the most discerning palates. From loose leaves to tea bags & iced, and from ayurvedic to herbal, our organic teas deliver the perfect pick me up or a restful respite. Enjoy our balanced tea blends for optimal health and sipping pleasure.
- TRUST OUR TEA: Davidson’s Organics was the first purveyor of fine organic teas. Since 1976, we’ve worked tirelessly to develop blends that are true reflections of their names, while being committed to sourcing healthy ingredients grown by generations of skilled small farmers. Enjoy Davidson’s Organics, the organic tea that sets the standards for the highest quality.
Davidson’s organic Earl Grey is a certified fair-trade tea that is flavored with natural bergamot oil, giving it a bold Earl Grey flavor with a long-lasting bergamot aroma.
The bag contains enough tea to make close to 200 cups and is resealable and foil-lined to keep the tea fresh. Make sure the tea is stored away from strong spices especially if storing it in the bag. If your pantry space is small, we recommend transferring it to an airtight canister for storage.
We recommend steeping this one for four minutes for a bold yet delectable cup. If steeped too long, the bergamot can be overpowering.
- SMILE SIP & FEEL GOOD – Brew 200 cups of tea with this premium loose leaf variety!
- LOOSE LEAF TEA – Our loose, organic tea allows you to customize each cup according to your sipping preference. No unecssary waste from bags or strings. Just organic loose leaf tea, ready to enjoy!
- CERTIFIED USDA ORGANIC – All our products are certified USDA Organic by California Certified Organic Farmers (CCOF), a leader in organic certification. Look for the USDA Organic seal on our products!
- LOVE IT OR WE BUY IT – We don’t think you should pay for products that you don’t love. If you aren’t enjoying our Organic Early Grey Tea, simply let us know and we will refund your order – it’s as easy as that!
This light and refreshing Earl Grey is perfect with a morning pick-me-up. This blend from FGO unites the full-bodied black teas from China and India with a touch of citrusy bergamot oil from Italy. While Earl Grey possesses the delicacy and nuance of flavor to be enjoyed on its own, this tea is also beautifully accentuated with a slice of lemon or a splash of cream and pairs well with a buttery morning pastry.
- EARL GREY FOR FOR EARL GREY LOVERS – Our Earl Grey Imperial tea is an elegant tea with a little extra bergamot, as compared to a regular Earl Grey tea. So it is an absolute must for those who just need a little bit ‘extra’ in their Earl Grey. A particular blend of teas from China and India are flavored with natural bergamot oil. This fine afternoon tea was originally commissioned for British Prime Minister, Earl Grey. Ingredients: Black teas, Oolong Tea, Natural Oil of Bergamot.
- GREAT PRESENT IDEA – This tea is featured in Harney’s Historic Royal Palaces Collection in a traditional tin design, making it a great present idea for tea lovers. Tin contains 30 sachets. Each sachet contains enough tea to brew a 12 ounce cup of tea.
- BREWING SUGGESTION – Tea is only as good as the water it is brewed in. Use filtered water as needed. Use one sachet for each cup of tea desired. Pour 212F water over the tea and infuse for 5 minutes. Remove the sachet. Relax and enjoy. Contains caffeine, 40-60 milligrams per cup.
- HISTORIC ROYAL PALACES is an independent charity with a team of people who love and look after six of the most wonderful palaces in the world: Tower of London, Hampton Court Palace, the Banqueting House, Kensington Palace, Kew Palace, and Hillsborough Castle and Gardens. Creating space for spirits to stir and be stirred, HRP wants everyone to feel welcome and accepted.
- HARNEY & SONS IS A PROUD MEMBER OF 1% FOR THE PLANET. Joining 1% for The Planet in 2006 meant we could directly donate one percent of our total sales to the environmental organizations of our choice.
For those who want the ease and convenience of a tea bag, this caffeinated Earl Grey tea has an excellent flavor and aroma. It blends fine black teas, rich in natural bergamot, with oolong to create a great-tasting medium-bodied tea.
It comes in a beautiful tin and contains 30 tea sachets. The silk sachets provide you with more intact tea leaves making them superior to traditional tea bags, giving you a flavor similar to loose leaf with the convenience of a tea bag.
- Full-bodied, distinctive flavor and aroma.
- Ingredients: Black tea, natural bergamot flavouring with other natural flavourins (5%).
- For the perfect cup use one tea bag. Add freshly boiled water and infuse for 4-5 minutes. Serve pure or with lemon.
- 50 tea bags.
- Taylors of Harrogate is Carbon Neutral Certified, a member of the Ethical Tea Partnership, and Rainforest Alliance Certified.
The elegant fragrance of bergamot gives Earl Grey its famous flavor. This tea balances beautiful Sicilian citrus with light and delicate teas from Indonesia and high-altitude teas from the Blue Mountains in southern India.
This tea has a stronger citrus flavor than bergamot which is preferable to some palates. It is one of the most consumed teas due to easy accessibility and you get 50 bags for less than $10 making it a great tea for a budget-conscious consumer.
- EARL GREY GREEN TEA – Discover the perfect harmony of flavors in our Earl Grey Green Tea. This blend combines the choicest Green tea with precisely balanced bergamot notes offering a uniquely refreshing experience. With medium caffeine content, it’s suitable for any time of day. Enjoy it without milk and relish the precise fusion of flavors in every sip.
- DIRECTLY SOURCED FROM PREMIUM PLANTATIONS – Experience the finest Whole Loose Leaf Tea, sourced from premium Indian plantations. Vacuum-sealed and packed within 24-72 hours of harvesting, it offers garden-fresh aroma and taste. Savour 100% pure tea, packed in a 3-layered moisture-resistant resealable bag for lasting freshness. Preparation: 2g of loose leaf | 200 ml water at 100° C | 2 – 3 mins
- A BRAND WITH A BILLION DREAMS – VAHDAM India is one of India’s largest digitally native, global brands, shipping to over 3 million customers across 130+ countries. With an aim to bring India’s finest Teas, Brew Ware, Spices & Herbs to consumers across the world under a home-grown, sustainable label with a strong commitment to people and planet.
- ETHICAL, DIRECT & FAIR-TRADE – Our innovative supply chain model ensures that you get the freshest cup of tea and our farmers get a better price for their produce. 1% of our revenue is redirected towards the education of our tea growers’ children with our social initiative, Teach Me, simply wish to honour this aspiration?.
- WE CARE FOR PEOPLE & PLANET – We are now a proudly carbon-neutral & a plastic-neutral brand. We measure our overall carbon & plastic footprint & offset it via our investments in environment sustainability initiatives in India.
This green tea option from Vhadam is a great option for anyone looking for Earl Grey with a twist. It is a blend of premium loose-leaf Darjeeling green tea with natural bergamot oil from Italy, combining the health benefits of green tea with a floral & citrus flavor.
The tea comes double zipper, foil-lined vacuum-sealed bag to maintain its freshness and quality flavor. Make sure the tea is stored away from strong spices especially if storing it in the bag. If your pantry space is small, we recommend transferring it to an airtight canister for storage.
It can be served hot or iced as well as with or without sugar, making it a great tea for the hot summer months.
- We have captured the incredible flavor of classic English Earl Grey tea, and created a unique herbal alternative!
- Oil of bergamot is what gives Earl Grey it’s distinctive, bitter citrusy flavor, and we have added it to our luxury pure rooibos herbal tea, along with lovely little purple cornflowers.
- A great caffeine free and health boosting option for any time of the day!
- Anti-oxidant rich, caffeine free herbal teas from South Africa
This is a great herbal alternative to traditional Earl Grey. Oil of Bergamot is added to antioxidant-rich rooibos from South Africa to create this herbal Earl Grey blend. The bright purple coneflowers add a hint of sweetness and make this tea look as good as it tastes. It is a great caffeine-free option for any time of day.
It comes in an airtight, reusable zip-lock bag. Make sure the tea is stored away from strong spices especially if storing it in the bag. If your pantry space is small, we recommend transferring it to an airtight canister for storage.
What is Earl Grey Tea
Simply put, Earl Grey is any tea flavored with bergamot, an oil extracted from the rind of bergamot oranges grown mostly in Italy. Beyond that, the varieties are virtually endless.
The base of Earl Grey is black tea, and many different tea varieties, from Ceylon to Assam, can be used. The flavor profile comes across as a bit floral with a very distinct note of citrus.
The History of Earl Grey Tea
Earl Grey tea is named after Charles Grey, an English aristocrat who was educated in Eton and Cambridge and elected to Parliament at the age of 22. He gained the title of Earl when his father passed away in 1807. Charles, the second Earl Grey was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1830-1834. He was most known for the Reform Act of 1832 and the Slavery Abolition Act of 1833.
How he became associated with the tea is a bit murky at best. One story tells that the tea was created by accident when a gift of tea and bergamot oranges were shipped together from diplomats in China and the fruit flavor was absorbed by the tea during shipping.
Another version of the story involves a Chinese Mandarin friend of the Earl blending this tea to offset the taste of minerals in the water at his home in England. Truthfully, it is not really clear why the tea was named after Charles.
Regardless of its actual history, Earl Grey tea became popular in Britain in the late 1800s by the Twinings tea company. Twinings was the first company to market the tea and it spread to the United States as a result of the Industrial Revolution.
The Flavoring Process (bergamot oil)
Earl Grey tea is flavored with either oil extracted from the rind of the bergamot orange or using a synthetic bergamot flavoring and both techniques have their advantages.
Natural bergamot offers an intense and sharp citrus flavor, however, the flavor varies depending on where the fruit was grown. Most bergamot is cultivated in Southern Italy, mainly Calabria, but it can also be grown in Turkey or France. Synthetic bergamot will give the tea a stronger and more consistent flavor and allow those who are allergic to citrus to safely drink it.
Tea can also be flavored by adding the bergamot rind to the blend. It is usually added at the end of the process once the leaves have dried. Adding the rind will ensure the bergamot flavors the tea and gives the tea an attractive appearance.
Variations of Earl Grey
- Lady Grey – adds blue cornflower blossoms
- Russian Earl Grey – blends the traditional tea with lemongrass and pieces of citrus peel
- Red Earl Grey – A blend of rooibos and bergamot
- Earl Green – Green tea (often baozhong or pouchong varieties) blended with bergamot
- Mademoiselle Grey – lavender or rose is added to the tea to add a heavier floral note and beautiful color
- Lord Grey – blends traditional earl grey with rose petals and other spices
Health Benefits of Earl Grey Tea
Not only is Earl Grey tea tasty, it is also loaded with health benefits. Studies show that drinking it on a regular basis can significantly improve your overall health.
The energy boost is a result of the caffeine found in black tea. Caffeine makes you more alert, activates the mind, and provides a boost of energy to get you through the day.
Tea is known to stimulate the nervous system and bergamot is used in aromatherapy for its calming effect. The combination of the two in Earl Grey results in an overall calming of the mind and mood.
Earl Grey Caffeine Content
Like any other black tea, the caffeine content can vary. A number of factors including whether you use tea bags or loose leaf and the time steeped can create a caffeine variation of 19 – 90 milligrams. Loose-leaf tea tends to contain more caffeine per cup than tea bags and the longer you steep your tea, the higher the caffeine content.
Generally, a cup of Earl Grey contains between 55 and 90 milligrams of caffeine and a cup of decaffeinated Earl Grey contains between 2 and 10 milligrams of caffeine.
How to Brew Earl Grey Tea
- Use cold filtered water or spring water
- While your tea steeps, cover it to retain the heat
- For loose-leaf tea, add 1 teaspoon of leaves per cup to water that is close to boiling (around 200 degrees) and steep for 3 minutes
- If using a tea bag, use one tea bag per cup of water and steep for 3 minutes between 200 and 212 degrees
- Avoid over-steeping your tea. If steeped too long, the tea will become bitter, not stronger. If you prefer a stronger cup of tea, use more tea leaves or a second tea bag.
How to Serve Earl Grey Tea
Traditionally, Earl Grey tea was served in the afternoon. However, The bitter, sweet, sour, and floral flavors blended with malty and full-bodied black tea make it suitable to consume at any time during the day. Typically, Earl Grey tea is served two ways, in the American style with milk and sugar, or the British style with lemon and sugar.
Earl Grey Parings
- Madeleines – their not-too-sweet, citrusy note complements the notes in Earl Grey nicely
- Spicy foods – the smooth floral notes in Earl Grey are a great contrast to treats like gingerbread
- Dark Chocolate – a chocolate cookie or fudgy brownie goes well with the floral citrus of the tea
- Lemon cakes – the subtle citrus notes the bergamot offers complements the citrus flavor in lemon cakes
Tea Storage
Tea should be kept out of the light to maintain its integrity and should never be stored for more than twelve months. Whether you prefer bags or loose-leaf tea, the best way to store tea is in a tin or dark jar with an airtight lid, placed in a dry pantry or cabinet. Tea should not be stored in the refrigerator unless it is a rare blend.
Dried tea leaves have only a 3 to 5 percent moisture content. This prevents the tea from spoiling in the same way fresh food does when dried but also causes the tea to soak up any moisture like a sponge. Storing tea in a clean, dry, airtight container will prevent excess moisture absorption promising you a quality cup of tea.
Things to Consider When Purchasing Earl Grey Tea
Region
The region you select will affect the flavor and additives to the tea. Tea brewed in France usually contains lavender while teas from the UK have a smokier flavor. If you are new to Earl Grey, try teas from a variety of regions to find the one best suited to your palate.
Brew
Tea leaves should be intact and shiny and any flowers should have a bold color. After brewing for the recommended amount of time, check to make sure the water has an amber or deep red color. Taste the tea to see if the flavor is what you want, if the flavor is too strong, try steeping for less time. If the flavor is too weak try adding more tea, or a second tea bag. If you still can’t get the brew strength and flavor you prefer, try a tea from a different region.
Tea Bag Variety
Look for organic, gourmet, or premium blends if you prefer the convenience of tea bags over loose-leaf. Mass-produced tea bags are made from tea dust which results in a taste that is inferior.
Final Thoughts
Earl Grey has a smooth distinct flavor that makes it a staple in many homes. It complements a variety of food pairings or can be enjoyed on its own. The teas outlined here offer a wide variety of qualities and characteristics that will allow everyone to find the tea best suited for their particular needs so brew up a cup and enjoy your afternoon!